None of us is born thinking we are ordinary. Feeling special is an essential part of the human
birthright. If you don’t think you are special, you won’t seek
to contribute your gift to the world. -Rabbi Shmuley Boteach

Sunday, December 28, 2014

No one ever regarded the First of January
with indifference. It is that from which all date their time, and count upon
what is left. It is the nativity of our common Adam. ~Charles Lamb

Good morning!

Christmas is over. I am sad.

I will miss the carols and the bright lights and the pretty ornaments.

But the New year is right around the corner and brings with it the anticipation of new beginnings.

Nothing wrong with that. We all need that start point at some time in our lives.

2015 is going to be another busy year for us, but I guess I would not want it any other way.

Our kids are grown are embarking on their own life adventures, leaving us to plan our futuredays as empty nesters, which include talk of downsizing out home and general lifestyle.

On personal levels, My husband is finishing up classes he needs to start nursing school and I have plans for Through The Craft Room Door that I hope takes the Challenge Blog and the Magazine to the next level.

What about you? Are your resolutions lined up for the kick off on January 1st, 2015?

This is the last week of 2014 and the last CAS of the year as well. Cheri wants to send it off in style with fireworks on our CAS cards and projects this week over at the Outlawz!

So here is mine.

I created the background by tapping my ink ad all over the EF before running through my Big Kick. This is not the results I was looking for, but I was using a new ink and for some reason, even with the whole EF covered, not all the ink came off. (Since I do this with other inks and never have a issue, I have to assume it was the ink and not my machine).
Either way, I dis like the way it came out and went with it.

Thursday, December 25, 2014

Luke 2 New International Version (NIV)

The Birth of Jesus

2 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.2 (This was the first census that took place while[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.)3 And everyone went to their own town to register.

4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

21 On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Christmas gift suggestions: To your enemy,
forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance. To a friend, your heart. To a customer,
service. To all, charity. To every child, a good example. To yourself, respect.
- Oren Arnold

Good Heavens People

Christmas is only a couple of days away!

I still have much to do! How about you?

At least my cards are all done and mailed!

Every year, I try to make special, one of a kind cards for the parents.

Monday, December 22, 2014

Let us remember that the Christmas heart is a giving heart, a wide open heart that thinks of others first. The birth of the baby Jesus stands as the most significant event in all history, because it has meant the pouring into a sick world of the healing medicine of love which has transformed all manner of hearts for almost two thousand years... Underneath all the bulging bundles is this beating Christmas heart.

George Mathhew Adams

Ok ... I admit, this is another one of those cards that I had stuck somewhere because I didn't finish it.

Which was a good thing really because the original images just weren't working for me ... which is probably why they were never finished ...

Anyway, All done now and off to good homes!

Card size is A2

The blue card stock was put through my big kick in an embossing folder then I lightly ran my ink pad over the raised surface to highlight the snowflakes.

Saturday, December 20, 2014

A
man's age is something impressive, it sums up his life: maturity reached slowly
and against many obstacles, illnesses cured, griefs and despairs overcome, and
unconscious risks taken; maturity formed through so many desires, hopes,
regrets, forgotten things, loves. A man's age represents a fine cargo of
experiences and memories.

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry,Wartime
Writings 1939-1944, translated from French by Norah Purcell

A shout out to our wonderful retired Reverend, Uncle Russ, who is celebrating 83 years of living, breathing and being human like the rest of us!

I won this adorable image some time ago and just finally got around to using it. It's called Birthday Candle Birdbrain by From the Heart Stamps.

Uncle Russ has such a great sense of humor, I thought he would enjoy the whimsy!

I printed him on card stock from Georgia Pacific and colored him with my Prisma Color Pencils.

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Our husbands worked together for several years as firefighters, but our contact with each was minimal until mutual friends were married and the two us of spent lots of time together ... ummm .... drinking and ... well drinking LOL

The Husbands were in the bridal party and as it happened, the wedding coordinator (who was very unapologetic) did not make any arrangements for a place that the grooms party could meet and get ready, so I was banished from our hotel room the day of the wedding so they had a place to gather and bump chests.

That left me with nowhere to go but the hotel bar ... lucky for me Sabrina was kind enough to let me come hang out with her and get ready for the wedding ...

And so begins an interesting friendship ....

As we talked, we learned our birthdays are within days of each other and we share many of same beliefs and interests.

Although we live on opposites sides of town and don't see each other as often as we used to since my blindness in one eye has restricted my driving, we do keep in touch and get together when possible.

Monday, December 15, 2014

Family faces are magic mirrors. Looking at
people who belong to us, we see the past, present, and future.

~Gail Lumet Buckley

Good morning!
Here I have a birthday card that I made for one of my nephews.
I can't tell you the last time I saw him as he lives in California and since his father (my oldest brother) passed away, contact has been limited ... not by my choice.

Anyway - I always send him and his older brother birthday cards, if for no other reason that to let them know they have other family out in the in the big wide world and we love them.

Sunday, December 14, 2014

Why can’t we get all the people together in
the world that we really like and then just stay together? I guess that
wouldn’t work. Someone would leave. Someone always leaves. Then we would have
to say good-bye. I hate good-byes. I know what I need. I need more hellos.
~Charles M. Schulz

Good morning my friends!

Welcome to a great day!

The challenge at the Outlawz today is all about doodling ...

Which I think is hilarious! Something my friends and I used to do all over our notebooks is now an art form called Zentangles!

Who would have guess - Right?!

Anyway, Charlene has challenged us to doodle on our cards or create a doodled focal point.

So here is mine!

I doodled a large flower and just kept adding to it - just like I did when I was a kid! LOL

Monday, December 8, 2014

“They say a person needs just three things to be
truly happy in this world: someone to love, something to do, and something to
hope for.”

Tom Bodett

There is a new challenge in the mix over at The Outlawz and I decided I would play along for fun!

It's called a Freebie/Progressive Challenge and each month they will send you a free digital image to use in the challenge. There are rules around getting these images, like you have to complete and upload your card or project to qualify for the next months digital image but since the challenge lasts the whole, you should have plenty of time to play along!

To register, you can send your name and email address to outlawzprogressivechallenge@gmx.com.

Saturday, December 6, 2014

Somehow,
not only for Christmas, But all the long year through, The joy that you give to
others, Is the joy that comes back to you.

And the more you spend in blessing, The poor and lonely and sad, The more of your heart's possessing, Returns to
you glad.

John
Greenleaf Whittier

Good morning!

I imagine most of us are still working on our Christmas cards. I know I have been scrambling this year.

I am usually so much better at having enough cards done by the end of November with extras left for the unexpected.

No so this year... sigh

Here is a card I actually did make a while ago and just got around to finishing and photographing!

The card size is A2 and is one of four I made... actually, truth be told I STARTED this card set last year, but never finished them for some reason. I had placed all the pieces in a binder where I keep unfinished cards and projects. Worked out well though because with little effort, I have four cards to add to my pile for mailing!

SUPPLIES:

Card stock: Paper Temptress & Stampin Up!

Image: "Santa Collage" from Rubber Stampede

Embossing folder is unknown because I can;t find what I did with it :O(

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

The best of all gifts around any
Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each
other.

Burton Hillis

Good morning my Crafty Peeps!

I trust, for my fellow Patriots, that your Thanksgivings were blessed with good food, family and friends and, if you ventured forth, you survived your adventures out there into Black Friday Land.

I don't know about anyone else, but I am not fond of crowds to begin with, so the increased pushing, shoving and general rudeness of the population on Black Friday is a great reason for me grab a cup of hot coffee and park my pajama clad butt in front of my laptop to do any shopping I deem necessary.

Either way, for the Malmrose Clan - the Christmas Holiday has officially begun with a tradition started when my kids were little. On Thanksgiving evening, after everyone is properly fooded and leftovers are stored for later foraging runs. We gather in front of the TV to watch "A Muppet Christmas Carol".

A wonderful rendition of the Charles Dickens Classic - only the Muppets play most of the characters. Gonzo the Great, narrating the movie as Mr. Dickens takes Rizzo the Rat and us, through the wondrous journey of Ebenzer Scrooge, played by the awesome Michael Caine, as he is guided by three ghosts sent to show him he needs to change his horrid, selfish ways or face dire consequences in the afterlife.

A fun movie with lots of laughter and, of course, a value lesson at the end about treating people (and Muppets) with dignity and respect.

This year, it was just my son and I sitting there to watch the movie. as my husband was working and my daughter is set to spend another Christmas in Japan. It was heartwarming to me that my son was willing to sit and watch the movie with me. Especially when he mentioned that, for him, it was part of ourThanksgiving tradition and marked the beginning of the Christmas season for our family.

So from my family to yours Happy Holidays and quoting Tiny Tim - "God Bless us Everyone!"

Sunday, November 30, 2014

Valor is stability, not of legs and arms, but of courage and the soul. ~Michel de Montaigne

Good morning!

Today is the start of another awesome week (Must be positive here!) and also the start of another Clean and Simple Challenge at the Outlawz!

This week, we are "Thankful for You!"

We, none of us, can never say thank you enough to family, friends, strangers.

This is another card that I made for an Honors Flight to Washington D.C.

It was so gratifying to make the earlier cards that I wanted to do it again so I contacted Kathy Mansur, the Veteran Coordinator for the Honor Flight Southern Arizona Chapter and she readily accepted my offer to make and send thank you cards!

I was in the nick of time too. They had one last flight leaving this year before they shut down until Spring and I had a little over one week to make 25 cards and get them mailed off to her.

I am looking forward to Spring when the flights start up again so that I can do this again.

If you live in Arizona and are interested in sending thank you cards here is the contact information for Kathy ... tmansur@honorflightsaz.org

Monday, November 24, 2014

One
advantage of marriage is that, when you fall out of love with him or he falls
out of love with you, it keeps you together until you fall in again.

~Judith
Viorst

Yesterday, my husband and I celebrated our 29th wedding anniversary and I will be the first to admit that marriage is not for the faint of heart.

For one thing, it's not just about you anymore!

It's about living with another human being 24/7 and sharing the bed covers on a cold night!

It is seeing each other at our worst and still loving each other ... and just as important ... still liking each other.

It's learning to communicate and compromise with each other when we'd rather not.

Marriage is tough enough on a good day, but especially so when you really don't know how they are supposed to work .. right?

My parents divorced when I was quite young. Both remarried and the step-parents were not overly fond of having my two older brothers and myself underfoot, especially when they had kids of their own from previous marriages. To that end, my mom's second marriage only lasted around 5 years and we just never had much contact with our father over the years.

My only clue to marriage longevity was my mom's parents. It was obvious they loved each other, but that was the extent of it. However, it was enough for me to know that was the type of marriage I wanted for myself. Consequently, while most of my friends were marrying out of high school, I was in my early twenties before I agreed to say "I do".

My husband was luckier ... while his parents divorced when he was young, his mother eventually remarried an incredible man who took on the raising of two children as his own. I adore my "step" father-in-law. He is most awesome!

Our marriage has had it share if highs and lows, like most relationship. Divorce has come up several times over the last 29 years and only once was it a very real consideration but we managed to work out, but it was a tough time for both of us and something we are still working through ...

Has it been worth it? all the struggles, the arguments, the second guessing of the relationship ...

I have to say yes - yes it has.

Because we have two awesome kids that we raised together under one roof, there have been more highs than lows, more huggles than struggles and we are closer now than ever. We talk and plan more about our future together and we genuinely enjoy each others company.

I truly look forward to the years I have left with the love of my life.

Sunday, November 23, 2014

It is the life of the crystal, the architect
of the flake, the fire of the frost, the soul of the sunbeam. This crisp winter
air is full of it. ~John Burroughs, "Winter Sunshine"

Good morning!

I imagine many of you are are fretting over the amount of snow piling up on your lawns.

Me ... not so much - more like the leaves falling off my tree.

I live in the "Valley of the Sun" ... getting snow here is a rare event.

I grew up in house at the base of South Mountain and I only recall a couple of times that it was cold enough that the snow not only fell but stayed long enough for us to trek up the hill and play awhile.

These days - if we want a snow fix, we gotta head up North ... or I make snowmen outta paper!

Today is the start of a new Clean & Simple Challenge at The Outlawz!

As Lynn asks don't we all love the Bling in some form or another? Sooooo our challenge this week is to added glitz and glimmer to our cards or projects while still keeping in CAS!

Here's my card

I have to admit - the snow peeples are not of my making. They were a gift and I thought they were perfect for this challenge because of all the lovely glitter on them!

Sunday, November 16, 2014

I've
got a dream too, but it's about singing and dancing and making people happy.
That's the kind of dream that gets better the more people you share it with.
--- Kermit The Frog

Good morning my crafty peeps!

A new day - A new CAS challenge at the Outlawz. and it's MOVIE NIGHT!

We all have those absolute favorite movies. You know the one I'm talking about ... we can watch them over and over .... and over. We laugh, we get mad, we cry and sigh ... always at the same places. They bring back memories and smiles no matter how messed up our day has been!

Released in 1954 (quite a few years before I was born - ahem) I remember watching this movie every time it was on the Saturday afternoon matinee on TV!

I would leave my friends house to make it home in time to watch this one!

Such a fun movie full of singing and dancing. I remember laughing as I watched poor Milly cope with a new husband and 6 outrageous brother-in-laws. She proves herself to be no push over either even though she is outnumbered and out-sized by all that testosterone!

I never get tired of watching it even to this day.

So ... here is the card I made based on my favorite movie, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers

Spoiler alert!

It's a wedding card ...

LOL

Card size is 5 x 7

I made the sides of "film strip" with a small border punch I have. I stamped my image 8 times ... one to color and 7 times (get it?) to cut in 1"x 1" squares to look like film clips. I colored the main image with my Prisma color pencils and a alcohol blender pen and added liquid pearls to the frame for accents and attached to the card with foam dimensionals. The dress I painted with Smooch to give it a nice glimmer but try as I might I just could not get a good picture of it so you'll just have to take my word for it!

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All contents and designs are mine unless otherwise noted. My projects are not to be submitted and/or used in any written publication, advertisement or contest without my knowledge. If you have any questions or concerns, please email me at cdmalmrose@gmail.com

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In simple terms, this site is all about me and was created as an outlet for me to express myself through my crafts and thoughts.

The opinions expressed here belong to Me, Myself & I.

Anything on this site is provided for your information only and does not constitute advice in any way, shape or form.

On occasion, I am provided products for advertising purposes only. Not for resale nor for profit. If I do recommend a product and provide a link to where that product can be purchase or obtained, I give no assurance or warranty regarding the product in accuracy, timeliness, suitability or application. In other words, you are on your own if you have a problem with the product and/or supplier.

I use unbranded products, including dies and stamps on many of my cards. Those items are generally not noted in the supply list. If I give the name of the product/manufacturer, that means I own the branded item. If I list something as Stash, then that means I probably don't remember where I got the product. Like most crafters, I have a drawer full of embellishments and ribbons that are not in the original packaging for various and sundry reasons.

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